Jonesboro elementary schools aim at students' needs; convert to magnet schools
John Griffith
Issue date: 3/5/07 Section: Campus
Pelley said her research revealed a myriad of other potential pitfalls with the magnet schools, such as busing problems that she said would lengthen the school day, enrollment problems because students apply to the magnet school of their choice rather than being assigned. Pelley said this led to children from more affluent families getting their first choice and children from less privileged families being forced into the poorer schools.
Pelley questioned also the cost of implementing and running the magnet schools. She said that administrators from failed magnet schools in Arkansas and Tennessee told her federal grants were highly competitive and difficult to secure. Pelley questioned how the district intended to pay for the magnet schools.
Pelley pointed to Hot Springs' magnet schools as an example, and said that the district's own reporting on test scores shows that their schools produce lower test scores and higher remediation rates than Jonesboro schools.
"We looked at Hot Springs," Willbanks said. "They have a magnet program in the elementary and their junior high at well. We have only two themes that are similar."
Willbanks said that comparing the Jonesboro and Hot Springs school districts is an unreliable method. She pointed to the diversity of factors that make up each school district: size of district, minority enrollment, organizational structure, curriculum in math, literacy and student-teacher ratio.
"You won't find two districts that are the same," Willbanks said.
Willbanks said that she has overwhelming support from Jonesboro residents for the magnet school decision. "I have spoken to between 12 and 15 civic groups and all the parent groups. As a whole the number of supporters are greater than the number who are pessimistic."
The five elementary schools affected by the changeare Philadelphia Elementary, South Elementary, West Elementary, Hillcrest Elementary and the Sixth Grade Academic Center.
Pelley questioned also the cost of implementing and running the magnet schools. She said that administrators from failed magnet schools in Arkansas and Tennessee told her federal grants were highly competitive and difficult to secure. Pelley questioned how the district intended to pay for the magnet schools.
Pelley pointed to Hot Springs' magnet schools as an example, and said that the district's own reporting on test scores shows that their schools produce lower test scores and higher remediation rates than Jonesboro schools.
"We looked at Hot Springs," Willbanks said. "They have a magnet program in the elementary and their junior high at well. We have only two themes that are similar."
Willbanks said that comparing the Jonesboro and Hot Springs school districts is an unreliable method. She pointed to the diversity of factors that make up each school district: size of district, minority enrollment, organizational structure, curriculum in math, literacy and student-teacher ratio.
"You won't find two districts that are the same," Willbanks said.
Willbanks said that she has overwhelming support from Jonesboro residents for the magnet school decision. "I have spoken to between 12 and 15 civic groups and all the parent groups. As a whole the number of supporters are greater than the number who are pessimistic."
The five elementary schools affected by the changeare Philadelphia Elementary, South Elementary, West Elementary, Hillcrest Elementary and the Sixth Grade Academic Center.
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